A DIY sim racing button box is better than the ones you can buy online for two main reasons. Firstly, a DIY sim racing button box can be customized to your needs; and secondly, it costs much cheaper. So without further ado, let’s look at the step-by-step process of how to make a sim racing button box.
Tools and Equipment Required to Make a Sim Racing Button Box
Before you begin building your sim racing button box, gather all the supplies in one place. There will be two different lists of supplies that you will need.
The first list is the list of components of the button box. This list will look like this:
- Arcade Controller Board/USB Joystick Controller Board
- Buttons (in various required sizes)
- Encoders (optional)
- Toggle Switches
- Project Box
- Carbon Vinyl Wrap (optional)
The second list is the list of equipment that will help you make a sim racing button box. This list is as:
- Screwdriver
- Masking Tape
- Ruler
- Pen
- Caliper
- Center-Punch
- Step Drill
- Wrench
- Safety Gloves (optional)
- Tweezers
- Plastic Standoffs
- Drill
The second list of equipment lists the items in chronological order of their usage in constructing the sim racing button box. Placing the required equipment in order of use will make the process much easier. For added ease, you can arrange the equipment on your left when you begin and place it on your right when you are done using them.
Now, let’s find out how to make a sim racing button box:
How to Make a Sim Racing Button Box
There are five steps involved in making a sim racing button box.
Step 1 – Preparing the Project Box
First thing first, you will need to unscrew the lid of the project box using the screwdriver. Place the screws and the screwdriver on the side for now. Then, remove any label stickers that might be placed on the lid of the project box. You want to work on a smooth surface.
If you wish, you can place the carbon vinyl wrap on the top at this point. Carbon vinyl wrap makes the button box look sleek and stylish and helps protect it.
Step 2 – Marking and Drilling the Holes
Take some masking tape and place it length-wise on the lid to make the process of marking and drilling holes easier. Take the ruler and pen and divide the top into a grid.
Try a few different button arrangements on the lid to find out what arrangement will be the most convenient for you to use and looks best. Using the pen, draw the circles around the buttons. The grid will allow you to keep all buttons parallel to each other and at equal distance, resulting in a professional-looking button box.
If you are using both switches and buttons for the button box, you can also create two different grid on the lid. Remove the buttons and find the centers of the button circles. Mark these centers. Using a center punch, create a tiny hole in these centers to make drilling easier.
Once you have marked the holes, use the step drill to drill holes as per the size of the button part that needs to be pushed through it. If you drill holes as big as buttons, the buttons will fall into the project box. While drilling holes, don’t keep the step drill running.
The longer a drill runs, the more its temperature rises. If the temperatures increase too much, it might melt the plastic, ruining the project box. Drill one hole at a time and let the step drill cool down after drilling each hole.
Once all holes are drilled, let the holes look down and remove the masking tape from the lid.
Step 3 – Mounting the Buttons
The third step of making the sim racing button box requires mounting the buttons. If you have drilled various sized holes on the lid for different sized buttons, make sure you insert the right button in the holes.
You will need to detach the rings of the buttons and place the buttons on the outside of the lid, i.e., where you applied the carbon vinyl paper, and push the bottom halves of the buttons through the drilled holes.
Once you have pushed a button through the right spot, flip the lid, and place the previously detached ring on the bottom of the button. Tighten the ring using a wrench to fix the buttons in their place.
Note that buttons usually have rings on their backs while switches have screws. However, the same rule applies to placing any buttons or switches in their place.
The ring or screw from the button or the switch needs to be placed at the back and tightened. Tightening it will fix that specific button or switch on the button box.
Step 4 – Installing the Arcade Controller Board
USB joystick controller boards, also known as arcade controller boards, are an essential and convenient part of making a sim racing boxing board. While you can create a controller board from scratch on your own, buying one available in the market is a time-efficient and inexpensive trick.
A USB joystick controller board is recognized by PCs as a joystick when plugged. As a result, the player can easily define the buttons as keys on their PC without hassle.
Installing the USB joystick controller board is easier as it comes with pre-assembled spade connectors. While installing the controller board, connect the spade connectors on the button terminals on the back of the lid first.
If you are new to creating a sim racing button box, you might want to wear safety gloves. Pay close attention to connecting the spade connectors correctly on the button terminals. Additionally, you can use tweezers to tighten the rings.
Step 5 – Mounting the Arcade Controller Board
Once all spade connectors are connected to the button terminals, connecting them to the controller board is time. Spade connectors easily snap into place on the controller board. Moreover, you can also use tweezers to safely move the spade connectors on the controller board.
Recheck all connections to ensure that all the connectors are placed in the right spots. You don’t want to crash your car during the race due to the faulty construction of the button box.
Install the USB joystick controller board on the bottom of the project box using plastic standoffs. If you want, you can also install the controller board in the project box before connecting the spade connectors.
On the side of the box, mark and drill another hole big enough for the USB cable to pass through. Connect the USB cable to the controller board and the spade connectors if you haven’t connected them already.
Step 6 – Reassembling the Project Box
Finally, place the lid with the buttons and switch it back on to the box. Afterward, tighten the screws using the screwdriver to ensure everything stays in its place.
You can now attach the other end of the USB cable to your PC to test out your new DIY sim racing button box. If some button or switch doesn’t work as you intended, in that case, you only need to revisit the spade connectors and connect them to the right spots.
